Contents

Description

Not much is known about Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome, although it appears to render its victims physically weak and fragile, a condition which only worsens over time. Victims of N.I.D.S. thus require constant medical attention.[3]

History

Over fifty years ago, Maria Robotnik was diagnosed with Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome and was not expected to recover from it. Back then, medical treatment for it was difficult to provide.[2] Medical research on N.I.D.S. was conducted aboard the Space Colony ARK, but they were unable to yield a cure.[2] New hope for this research came when Professor Gerald Robotnik accepted to lead Project Shadow. Gerald hoped that he could use the project's immortality research to develop a cure for Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome. However, the project failed when the military shut it down and killed or imprisoned those involved when they deemed the project's result, Shadow, a threat.

In other media

Archie Comics

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the illness is known as Neuro-Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AKA N.I.D.S.). Like it was researched by Gerald Robotnik like in the games, others tried to cure N.I.D.S. in recent years; Dr. Ivo Kintobor in particular, successfully made a special suit, the Omega Care Unit, that stopped the disease from progressing, but forced the victim to stay in the suit.

After Worlds Collide, the illness' history is now virtually identical to its game counterpart.

Sonic X

In the anime series Sonic X, like in the games, the "Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome" was the reason for why Maria stayed on the Space Colony ARK, which was incurable at that time. However, it was never mentioned by name and went entirely unmentioned in the English dub of the anime.

Trivia

This disease could be based on HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), a real-life infectious disease.

Based on its name, N.I.D.S. is most likely a disease that affects the nervous system (likely the brain) while also weakening the immune system (through the reduction of a person's antibody count), making the patient more susceptible to other diseases, as is evidenced by its name ("neuro" comes from the Greek word neuron, meaning "nerve" and in medical terms, refers to the brain and nervous system; immunodeficiency implies a weak immune system).

References

↑BioWare (26 September 2008). Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Codex: When the President of the United Stated Federation requested his assistance on a project to discover an "immortality formula," Prof. Robotnik though of his granddaughter Maria, who was suffering from an incurable disease known as Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome."